The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-31
THINGS THAT ARE HEARD AND SEEN.
Bits of Information Gathered During the Daily
Saunter of journal Reporter.

ssTll not slate that man." said Turnkey Tafe, |
at the station house, last evening, as two patrol
men brought in pitable looking old man that /
had been arrested for drunkenness. The pris- |
oner was an old soldier, sixty-five years of age.
One leg was off just above the knee, and the
other just below. He only had one crutch, and |
was SO under the influence of whisky that he
could not walk at all. He said his home was in
Upton, and that he had been on a drunk for
three weeks He was found yesterday morning,
by some church eoers. lying in the street, near
Undertakes drug store, on College avenue. He
was given lodging in the big room" and will
be returned to his native haunts this morning.
"It has always been great wonder to me that
we have never had greater loss of life from fires
in this city" said a fireman to Journal re-
porter, yesterday. There are not many death
traps in the city. but there some bad ones.
There are several large blocks in the heart of
the city that are filled with men, women and
children. The garrets are especially crowded at
this time of the year. Usually there is but one
stairway leading up to these dens, and If fire
should ever break out in the lower part OF the
building and shut off the only exit, scores Of
persons would inevitably perish"
IT'S it true that all the gamingrooms in the city
have been close by the police?" asked hotel guest
yesterday, of a young man who ought to know.
NO." was the reply; 'that is reported for eff
feet"
"Have any been closed2"
Eyes, the lght-weights have all been shut up,
but the big games will not be molested as long as
the present police board is in power. We have
got 1t down."
~ was just thinking that things have changed
nightly since was hoy" said an old citizen
as he leaned on his cane in front of the Bates
House yesterday"
81 suspect they have" said sleepy looking
member Of the third house as he twisted his
mustache.
YES said the old man, "you wouldn't believe
| it, but can remember when the first legislature
met in Indianapolis. That was sixty-two
years ago. and was small
boy then. but 1. remember it
| as we'll as if it were yesterday. In those days
| the legislators came into town on their horses.
| They We're big, brawny, heaithy-lookirg men,
| and they had brains They didn't go around
| making show of tall hats and gold headed canes
| but they got down to law-making, and when they
| got through they climbed on their horses and
| went home. | remember that the legislative
| year was always a big one for US farmers that
lived close to town We boarded the members
| horses during the terms they were here, and as
they were always good fellows to pay we charged
| them like sixty"
| nave you nOClceQ tnaC tnero lsnt tnAC craze
for big dwelling houses there was few years
| ago!" asked one contractor of another at the
Builders Exchange, the other night Small
cottages are now all the rage During the past
two years / haven't put up big residence.
Even people with plenty of money are begin
ming to see the nonsense of putting good little
fortune into a dwelling house. / have known
men to erect large, fine houses, and then never
furnish half the rooms" The remark recalled
to the mind of a listener an observation: "Sev-
eral years ago." said he "a very wealthy Ger
man came here from New York He bought q
fine farm several miles out from the city, and
at once erected residence at cost of several
| thousand dollars. When the edifice was finished
there was one to occupy it but himself ano
wife. The house contained twenty five or thirty
rooms, and know but two three were fur
nished. l used to have occasion to pass the
place frequently at night, and I would always
see lamp burning in the kitchen. You cam
make me believe that man and his wife woulG
not have been happier in cottage home"
"Sim Coy seems to have been lost in the shut
fe since the General Assembly met" said Dem
ocratic politician yesterday who is not an arden
admirer of the local statesman. His ideas ar,
not broad enough to grasp the situation, and b.
is left entirely out of the party secrets. He il
| kept about the Grand Hotel as a sort of a lackey
for the country statesmen He carries notes
runs errands and makes himself generally usefu
: to Jim Rice and other able directors"
, The blind organ-grinders who habituate Wash
: ington street receive little sympathy from tn,
busy world. There some impostors, bu
| there are some who are not, and the latter thu
world owes living, if to any one. Five cent